Wednesday, March 25, 2015

PostHeaderIcon Symbology

Online workshops....oh how I love them!!!! Art ones, photography ones, scrap booking ones.....so very divine!!! It's been my goal this year to actually do the work and participate in them instead of just purchasing them and getting LAZY because of "Lifetime" access. The ease of access, the idea that I will get to it as soon as I finish task A, B, or C. What usually happens is that the workshop that I just HAD TO HAVE OR JUST DIE sits in a forum, downloads sitting in a folder on a hard drive and I never fully commit to taking advantage of a product that I paid hard earned money for. I know I am not the only one out there in the world that does this. Why? Why don't we think we are important enough to set something aside or say NO....block off time in our calendars to commit to an workshop or class that apparently is of great interest enough to invest cash into.

I have my own thoughts on that actually. After all I can only speak for myself and after much soul searching it comes down to the simple fact that I haven't given much value to the things I wanted. The roles of mom and wife have been given prime value while the role of just being me has been at the very bottom of the list. I found myself giving my daughter the advice of knowing who she is and never "losing" herself in someone else and that having her own interests will keep her sane and happy. What a hypocrite I was!!!!!! It's NOT selfish to take time to pursue a hobby or to just sit and unwind with a book.  So my mission this year is to work on completing all the wonderful workshops on my hard drive and really participate and interact with other wonderfully like minded souls in any "live" workshops I take. One of the workshops that is sitting on my hard drive and has a classroom on the Ruzuku platform is Tangie Baxter's The Symbology Project. I was just about to start it right as she put up The Symbology Workshop No. 3.  I will start with workshop no.3 instead because (1) it is in a live forum and (2) I got it free for being a member of The Art Journal Emporium. Please come check it out with me. I would love to cheer you on just out of the sheer pleasure of seeing another beautiful soul taking a few moments to nurture herself♥   

Saturday, February 28, 2015

PostHeaderIcon Be You Bravely

I love February and hate it all at the same time. It's just such a short month but it's also the month of mine and my daughter's birthdays not to mention Valentine's Day. In between the holiday's I have been trying to find a way to balance my digital life (scrapping, workshops, creative team duties) with the real life.  I certainly applaud all who do so with much more success than me. I feel like I need a personal secretary sometimes and other times I just feel like staying unplugged. What did we do before all the technology?!?!?!?  What I have been doing between my temp job and not blogging much is focusing on more hands on craftiness. Over at Tangie Baxter's Art Journal Emporium we are still reading Cat Bennett's The Confident Creative. It has been the best book ever to start out the year reading especially if you have been feeling in a creative slump or never ever thought yourself creative to begin with. I had never really thought myself an artist in a sense that I could draw but I started reading this book soon after I read Mixed Media Girls with Suzi Blu (a book that had been on my shelf for a year) and it has helped get rid of my self doubt and the "I can'ts". I realized I was living a self-fulfilling prophecy by saying "I can't" because I never really put in the effort to really try. My mother is a fantastic artist and that is where I thought the talent ended. My drawings never looked like hers. Fact is, they were never supposed to. They would also never get past scribbles if I never put in the time to develop the skill either. So here are my efforts this past month. Keep in mind I have never drawn realistic nor cartoony faces or figures before. All my work was either trace or cut and paste. I am proud of my work. It's not perfect but that's okay because I am on a journey to find my artistic style.  What is yours? Do you draw? Paint? Quilt? Embroider? Photography? ETC? Do you want to? I so encourage you to just start. Give yourself the gift time to develop your skill/talent. I would love to be your cheerleader so if you want link me up to your blog/Instagram etc. so I can do so. We should be building each other up as we all walk our artistic journeys.




Thanks so much for popping in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thursday, February 5, 2015

PostHeaderIcon Believe You Can and YOU REALLY CAN!

I have been wanting to be part of a book club for several years and (1) I don't read the book or (2) I don't find the book interesting enough to participate.  I can't begin to tell you how excited that I have been participating in The Art Journal Emporium's  Book Club. We have been reading The Confident Creative and sharing with one another examples of how each chapter "stretched" our idea of drawing and our own artwork.  This has been the most perfect book ever to start out the new year because it encourages the reader to just "start where you are".  I have never ever in my life thought that I could ever draw anything remotely realistic. Stick figures are my specialty!!! I have come to believe that when you stop saying "can't" and just start trying and with a little effort and the pressure to not be perfect gone......magical things can happen. This is an example of what happened when I just sat down and changed my belief in myself. The exercise was to "draw what you see".  


I felt that this try was "not terrible" so I filled the bottom of the page with more of what I see.


I am feeling very accomplished and proud of myself that I shoved all the negative to the side and just enjoyed the process.  Do you draw, create, etc...??? Link me up, I would love to ooohhhh and aaaahhhhh over your pretties!!!

Sunday, January 11, 2015

PostHeaderIcon Not Afraid



Mankind is not mindless. We do not think the same thing. If we allow Freedom of Speech but cannot offend, we have no freedom at all.

I agree with my whole heart with the above statement. I am so very blessed to live in a country that allows free speech. It is my fervent prayer that the massacre of the French journalist and cartoonists will not have the main stream media running scared to report the news. We as a nation do not need politically correct, we need unbiased reporting of the facts. I found myself glued to the television watching the events play out as the French police tracked down the terrorists. They wanted to be martyrs. They are not. Instead the men who drew cartoons and did not let themselves be intimidated into silence will be the "martyrs"...the ones who will be remembered and in the history books for standing up for the right to have the freedom to voice an opinion...Georges Wolinski, who worked under the pen name Wolinski, Jean "Cabu" Cabut, Bernard "Tignous" Verlhac and Philippe Honore, known as Honore and journalist  Charlie Hebdo.  You did not scare the people of France into backing down and becoming quiet, nor did you scare the rest of the
world into silence. 

Of all the photos I saw over the week I find this image of the people in Paris gathering in solidarity so powerful it reaches down into my soul. LOVE not hate UNITES!!!!! 

My heart breaks for the families and friends affected by all the events related to this hate filled and senseless crime. 

This is what has been on my heart this week. The internet has made the world a much smaller place than it used to be. We are a World Community.  Love one another to the best of your abilities and accept your differences. We all have different paths to take through this journey called life. ♥ 

       

Friday, January 2, 2015

PostHeaderIcon Dear Beautiful Me

Dear Beautiful Me, 
I am glad to finally put an end to 2014. It has left me broken and searching for inner strength and meaning to life. I found this post on The Brave Girls website that really resonated with me.  I needed to be reminded that even though my wings were broken that I CAN FLY AGAIN!
It will just take time and that it is very much okay for it to take that time. That's one of the things Melody took time to say in her post. My soul needed to hear those words. It's easy to be influenced by others to think that feelings can stop/start according to a timeline, more specifically their timeline. I don't normally make resolutions for the new year but this year I do have several but the ones that really spoke to my heart and deep within my soul were in this graphic that was shared on Facebook. I saved it for inspiration long before I ever knew I would be needing these words of encouragement. God knew though.


This year is a journey. I hope you take it with me. It is my sincerest desire to inspire you and encourage you on your journey also. If you have a blog/facebook, link me up and I will add it to my reading list so that I can come by and leave a little love your way. ♥

Follow on Bloglovin
.
Follow Me on Pinterest
.
Image and video hosting by TinyPic
Follow on Instagram
Instagram
www.flickr.com
Balinda A's items Go to Balinda A's photostream

Favorite Places

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Image and video hosting by TinyPic
Image and video hosting by TinyPic

I Print My Layouts At

Persnickety Prints!

Current Projects/Classes


Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Jane Davenport - online art Workshops

2015 Reading Challenge

2015 Reading Challenge
Balinda has read 0 books toward her goal of 12 books.
hide

About Me

My Photo
Balinda (RebelChick)
Just an everyday girl trying to find my way in the world to live life fiercely and passionately. I was a signature tagger for several years but art journaling has replaced that passion and it feeds my soul creativiely and spiritually. I also homeschool my DD, scrapbook, play around in photography, spoil my cats and drive my hubby insane on a daily basis. My faith in the Lord helps me juggle all these blessings. I keep this blog because it makes me happy. Sometimes I blog a lot and other times it collects a little dust. Thanks for visiting and being my friend.♥
View my complete profile

Follow Me!